Oregon approves $123 million for record-breaking wildfire costs

Oregon lawmakers have approved nearly $123 million to address the costs of the 2026 wildfire season, which is currently the state’s most expensive on record. The Oregon Legislature’s Joint Emergency Board allocated $108 million to the Oregon Department of Forestry and $15 million to the Department of the State Fire Marshal.

As of late August 2026, wildfires had burned approximately 2.5 million acres, with costs reaching $236.2 million. Total expenditures are projected to hit $350 million by the end of the season, surpassing the previous record of $318 million set in 2024. To maintain solvency, the Oregon Department of Forestry will borrow $150 million from the state treasury through three loans over the next three months.

While federal reimbursement from agencies like FEMA is expected, these funds often take years to arrive. The state is currently awaiting approximately $92 million in grants from 2020. This financial strain highlights a growing trend in the western United States, where increasing wildfire frequency and intensity are outpacing state budgets and forcing competition between emergency response and other essential services like education and healthcare.